TO
SIR OLIVER LODGE, F.R.S.
A GREAT LEADER
BOTH IN PHYSICAL AND IN PSYCHIC SCIENCE
IN TOKEN OF RESPECT
THIS WORK IS DEDICATED

PREFACE

This work has grown from small disconnected chapters into a narrative
which covers in a way the whole history of the Spiritualistic movement.
This genesis needs some little explanation. I had written certain
studies with no particular ulterior object save to gain myself, and to
pass on to others, a clear view of what seemed to me to be important
episodes in the modern spiritual development of the human race. These
included the chapters on Swedenborg, on Irving, on A. J. Davis, on the
Hydesville incident, on the history of the Fox sisters, on the Eddys and
on the life of D. D. Home. These were all done before it was suggested
to my mind that I had already gone some distance in doing a fuller
history of the Spiritualistic movement than had hitherto seen the
light-a history which would have the advantage of being written from the
inside and with intimate personal knowledge of those factors which are
characteristic of this modern development.

It is indeed curious that this movement, which many of us regard as the
most important in the history of the world since the Christ episode, has
never had a historian from those who were within it, and who had large
personal experience of its development. Mr. Frank Podmore brought
together a large number of the facts, and, by ignoring those which did
not suit his purpose, endeavoured to suggest the worthlessness of most
of the rest, especially the physical phenomena, which in his view were
mainly the result of fraud. There is a history of Spiritualism by Mr.
McCabe which turns everything to fraud, and which is itself a misnomer,
since the public would buy a book with such a title under the impression
that it was a serious record instead of a travesty. There is also a
history by J. Arthur Hill which is written from a strictly psychic
research point of view, and is far behind the real provable facts. Then
we have "Modern American Spiritualism: A Twenty Years' Record," and
"Nineteenth Century Miracles," by that great woman and splendid
propagandist, Mrs. Emma Hardinge Britten, but these deal only with
phases, though they are exceedingly valuable. Finally-and best of
all-there is "Man's Survival After Death," by the Rev. Charles L.
Tweedale; but this is rather a very fine connected exposition of the
truth of the cult than a deliberate consecutive history. There are
general histories of mysticism, like those of Ennemoser and Howitt, but
there is no clean-cut, comprehensive story of the successive
developments of this world-wide movement. Just before going to press a
book has appeared by Campbell-Holms which is a very useful compendium of
psychic facts, as its title, "The Facts of Psychic Science and
Philosophy," implies, but here again it cannot claim to be a connected
history.

It was clear that such a work needed a great deal of research-far more
than I in my crowded life could devote to it. It is true that my time
was in any case dedicated to it, but the literature is vast, and there
were many aspects of the movement which claimed my attention. Under
these circumstances I claimed and obtained the loyal assistance of Mr.
W. Leslie Curnow, whose knowledge of the subject and whose industry have
proved to be invaluable. He has dug assiduously into that vast quarry;
he has separated out the ore from the rubbish, and in every way he has
been of the greatest assistance. I had originally expected no more than
raw material, but he has occasionally given me the finished article, of
which I have gladly availed myself, altering it only to the extent of
getting my own personal point of view. I cannot admit too fully the
loyal assistance which he has given me, and if I have not conjoined his
name with my own upon the title-page it is for reasons which he
understands and in which he acquiesces.